Anyone have ADD?

Mr. Lennon

Diamond Member
Jul 2, 2004
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I was diagnose with ADD a year ago. They put me on Concerta which resulted in very painful stomach aches. Since then I have yet to try anything else. I have been dealing with the ADD on my own, but its getting to a point that I no longer can. I really want to find a medication that works for me, but since I have heart issues I need to stay away from the stimulant medications. Do any of you have a similar issue?
 

djheater

Lifer
Mar 19, 2001
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My dyslexic daughter experienced a greater capacity to concentrater after a couple of months taking higd doses of EPA (fish oil). Research has been done with ADHD and schizophrenics that shows it seems to impact behaviors.

As far as it goes, it's a harmless supplement to try while you're looking for a better treatment. You have to stay on it for 3 months to see results though....
 

Noobtastic

Banned
Jul 9, 2005
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ever considered alternative medications?

there's stratera, ridlin, lamictal, abilify, etc..

[ucle's a psychiatrist]

most successful add people go through several medications before they find the right one.


also, another poster mentioned fish oil. that's been proven to be very effective in not only combating add but bipolar, schizophrenia, and depression.


good luck

 

Mr. Lennon

Diamond Member
Jul 2, 2004
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Originally posted by: djheater
Link

My dyslexic daughter experienced a greater capacity to concentrater after a couple of months taking higd doses of EPA (fish oil). Research has been done with ADHD and schizophrenics that shows it seems to impact behaviors.

As far as it goes, it's a harmless supplement to try while you're looking for a better treatment. You have to stay on it for 3 months to see results though....

Ive been taking fish oil religiously for about a month now. I haven't seen any improvements really :(
 

Noobtastic

Banned
Jul 9, 2005
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dont listen to this people. add and adhd is a REAL diagnosis and should be taken very seriously. yes it's been abused by the public educational system but if you have a problem don't get discouraged by the naysayers..let them get high off their "herbs".

the worst that could happen is u dont respond well to any of the mentioned drugs and resort to non-clinical remedies...hey, crack ain't so bad after all?

also - consider mental exercises, writing notes, taking frequent but scheduled breaks, getting into a routine, letting others be aware of ur issue...that all helps.

be glad youve recognized a problem. most people become deluded by the wacko-image of how horrible prescription medication is or convince themselves it is all in their head (but to an incorrect extent)
 

EXman

Lifer
Jul 12, 2001
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Originally posted by: spittledip
no one has ADD

I'm BiPolar II

most of us have something worse than ADD

look a bird!

many teens that are emotional and ADD types could just be bipolar and are not ADD.

 

eLiu

Diamond Member
Jun 4, 2001
6,407
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Yeah I have ADHD and I'm epileptic. Woohoo go brain go! :(

I don't take meds b/c the side effects are often worse than just dealing with it. Granted, I haven't tried that many medications, but at the same time, I'm still in school, so I can't really afford to try random medications and have the side effects knock me out of business for weeks. Doh.
 

BoomerD

No Lifer
Feb 26, 2006
66,278
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I was diagnosed once as....OOOOH! something shiny!...oh where were we? oh yeah, hyperactive and they put me on....OMG! It's Britney Spears! Look at how skanky she looks now! Damn, she's starting to look like...oh wait...yeah meds to help slow me down, but <goes and screws with something else for half an hour> oh yeah...I never finished this...where were we? :D
 

KingGheedora

Diamond Member
Jun 24, 2006
3,248
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Originally posted by: djheater
Link

My dyslexic daughter experienced a greater capacity to concentrater after a couple of months taking higd doses of EPA (fish oil). Research has been done with ADHD and schizophrenics that shows it seems to impact behaviors.

As far as it goes, it's a harmless supplement to try while you're looking for a better treatment. You have to stay on it for 3 months to see results though....

What kind of dose do you think would work for a 165lb male?
 

destrekor

Lifer
Nov 18, 2005
28,799
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Originally posted by: spittledip
no one has ADD

lol okay. I deal with it everyday and cannot get a prescription because I'd likely be kicked out of the Army.
true ADD/ADHD (environmental stressors can induce chronic ADD-like symptoms, but are not a neurological disorder like ADD/ADHD) is a result of an imbalance of neurotransmitters. Typically, it's low levels of norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin, iirc. It may be a few others, or different ones entirely, except I know for sure norepinephrine (aka noradrenaline) is involved. The CNS prescription stimulants that are used to treat ADD/ADHD directly effect those neurotransmitter levels.

Anyone that actually studies the CNS and the pharmaceuticals that interact with it can verify this. Those neurotransmitters are directly involved in behavior and alertness, and all CNS stimulants (caffeine is one, but much weaker and doesn't effect the levels as much) will help, thus why people with ADD/ADHD will have positive alertness results from most ADD/ADHD meds IF they have a true case of the neurological disorder. If it's something else creating the same symptoms, they will not receive help from the same meds.

This is why I use ephedrine on a daily basis (25mg once daily, morning). It's a CNS stimulant, stronger and more effective than caffeine, without the negatives of caffeine. I have improved alertness and focus (it's pretty much guaranteed ephedrine is not as effective as the amphetamine prescription meds), but am not generally twitchy or cloudy like I can get on caffeine (I also abused caffeine, so this does not help).

ADD sucks, big time. Really messes with school and life in more ways than you can likely imagine. It's way more than an inability to focus.
Try listening to your best friends telling you a story, and they reach the end and you realize you didn't take in pretty much any of it, even though you felt like you were paying attention to them. :(


whats funny is I think that is true for people even when they have the neurological disorder.
I've been under extreme stress (papers, finals, life, etc) and been able to focus on the assignment. Your body releases certain chemicals under stress, and I wonder if they are the same ones linked to attention and focus. I'd imagine they would be, so your body has the strength to get through. Adrenaline and noradrenaline are similar, I just cannot remember how. Adrenaline is released in pretty much any situation your body is stressed.
 

destrekor

Lifer
Nov 18, 2005
28,799
359
126
Originally posted by: djheater
Link

My dyslexic daughter experienced a greater capacity to concentrater after a couple of months taking higd doses of EPA (fish oil). Research has been done with ADHD and schizophrenics that shows it seems to impact behaviors.

As far as it goes, it's a harmless supplement to try while you're looking for a better treatment. You have to stay on it for 3 months to see results though....

I might have to try that soon to see if it can help me for next school year. Wouldn't have much of an impact on this school year. :(